PODCAST: Think A Magician Is A Guy In A Top Hat? You Haven't Met Kayla Drescher

When you hear the word "magician," do you think of a wizardly guy in a tuxedo and a top hat? Or things like 3D printing and the Pythagorean Theorem? If the answer is more top hat and less angle formulas, it's time you met Kayla Drescher. Drescher is a professional magician who’s also part scientist, part comedian, part bartender, and our guest on this week's episode of The Limit Does Not Exist.

Drescher studies science in order to defy it.

Dana Pleasant Photography

She has performed magic for the past 20 years to theaters of thousands (you can currently catch her on the Champions of Magic tour), clients like IBM and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and on shows like Penn & Teller: Fool Us and The Today Show. Drescher studied environmental science with a concentration in green energy before deciding to pursue a career in magic, and still weaves STEM concepts into her acts. FYI: She assembled her 3D printer herself.

Drescher tells us what being a full-time magician actually looks like: from the entrepreneurial side of rate negotiations and tour bookings, to developing her own unique voice, to finding continued support and mentorship. You’ll also hear how she's taking a lead in creating resources for women and girls who want to pursue magic and can’t depend on things like pants pockets or that top hat you might have been thinking of.

Listening to Drescher will not only change the way you think about magic, but how you approach the pursuit of your own uncharted path, too. Here's a sound bite from our conversation:

I like magic to feel very organic, and I like it to be motivated by a story or an emotion. I think people are craving a personal connection—and magic, for me, is a way to personally connect with the audience. I want to have an adventure with everybody.